Round up: Most searched for questions regarding the L400

How do I boot from USB?
It’s not possible. Not with the A09 bios version anyway (latest). Because of this, the only way I know to install any operating system is to use the dell cd/dvd(/floppy)-unit. I do not at this writing moment know if you can a non-Dell slim cd drive in the dell housing, I’ll try to get back to you on that. A network installation may be possible, never had a reason to research it though.

Can I improve the CPU cooling?
It is possible to fit a 40mm fan into the case, which would make less noise and perhaps move more air. However: DO NOT REMOVE THE STOCK CPU COOLING SINK, unless it’s somehow completely broken of course. In most systems poor cooling is the unfortunate standard and at best the cooling will be as poor as before a “remove and reseat” but perhaps even worse due to loosened surface connections etc.

What causes random shut downs?
A common problem on the L400. The cooling is just not good enough. Due to the small space it’s also close to impossible to fit anything else in there instead of the stock cooling. If you are experiencing sudden shut downs you are most likely suffering from overheating. What you can do is set the processor to work on a lower setting (500Mhz instead of 700MHz) in the bios. On this setting you can even use the L400 without a fan, although it is not recommended in the long run. XP runs quite happily on this lower cpu speed.

The fan is so noisy, what can I do?
Stock fan sounds horrible? That’s also standard… I went so far as to buy a new fan directly from Dell but this only changed the pitch of the whine/noise and left me stranded with the same problem. I advise against buying a replacement fan from Dell for this reason. If your computer is still under warranty you can of course let Dell try and replace it since you won’t pay anything for it. If your warranty has run out you have two options: 1. Leave it alone and try to ignore the noise. 2. Replace or remove the fan yourself and hope for the best. (3. Sell the computer to some hobby modder with nothing better to do…)

Does Linux work on it?
There are a few Linux distributions that work right away, for example Damn Small Linux or Puppy Linux. One potential issue that could cause you to not be able to install Linux at all is that the cd drive that comes with the L400 seems to be a bit rare and sometimes may require custom boot options to start your Linux installation. See this post for more info or this link for examples using Puppy Linux.

And on a more general note:

Is it worth the effort?
The L400 is, in spite of some flaws, definetly a very useful and handy machine. Size and weight are two of the biggest advantages. If you can get your hands on one of these machines for a low price and you’re ready to put some effort into adapting it to your needs you should be more than happy after the tweaking.

What else could theoretically be modified?
If someone had a motherboard specification or just high technical knowledge it should be possible to find ways to power internally placed w-lan, bluetooth etc. This would be a big step forward, but would also require soldering which lessens the number of people that can actually perform these upgrades. Areas of interest: rerouting the 1 internal usb 1.1 port to usb 2 speed (via cardbus somehow?), adding wlan & bluetooth modules (via ide/docking port power?), making universal access to the proprietary ide-port on the back possible.

Edit: Check out this cool mod of a VGA-port to USB-power only (for external cd, fan, cup warmer etc..)

Written on a silent (!), CF-based L400 running an nLited XP SP3. It’s alive!

The L400 modblog…

Hello world. This is where I will post information about the modifications I make to my Dell L400. Since I haven’t been able to find much of any useful info about this laptop online I thought I’d share some photos and whatnot for anyone who is thinking about buying this laptop used or modifying it themselves.

Feel free to post comments or questions.